The myth of the teaching-research nexus

Much has been written about the teaching-research nexus. The view presented in this article is that this nexus is a myth, particularly in research led universities and, from our personal experience, research-led law schools. The metrics of research performance expectations, combined with other aspirations such as quality teaching and community service, prevent any meaningful opportunity for a research-led law school to connect students to the ongoing and current research of their mentors. This absence is exacerbated by the continuing division, or at least separation, between the coalface of teaching, and the senior management elite of the University, and the removal of discipline leaders from within that elite.